Bucket cleaner



C. L. GEORGE BUCKET CLEANER Jupe 17, 1930.

Filed I aroh 21, 1929 3 SheetQ-Sheet l June 17, 1930. c, GEORGE V 1,764,949

BUCKET CLEANER Filed March 21, 1929 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1930.

C. L. GEORGE BUCKET CLEANER Filed March 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 17, 1930 x UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEY "CHARLES Gannon, or FINDLAY, 01110, ASSIGNOR "ro THE BUCKEYE TRACTION DITCI-TER COMPANY OF FINDLAY, OHIO, A

BUCK-ET CLEANER conrona'r ou or, OHIO Applicationfiled March 21, 1929. .Serial No. 348,814.

uThis invention relates to a bucket cleaner adaptedxto be USBCl'IOI] trench ng machines or thehke, and more speclfically on machines whlchhave an endless series of continuously trayelling d gg ng and conveying buckets.

The general ob ect of the invent on is to i provide improved means 'for cleaningmuck,

gumbo .or other sticky material from the bucket as latter is carried past dumping position, and to operate the cleaning means in such a manner as to dislodge practically all ofthe material, both from the bucket and from the cleaning member. I In its present embodiment, thewcleaning means comprises a blade which constitutes the back of the bucket andwhich is adapted to be moved through the bucket to discharge the contents of the latter. In connection with the dis charging operation, the .blade is-flipped back and roan between suitable abutment members to and dislodge material which would otherwisebe left sticking to the blade. The invention, consists further in various details o'f construction and combinations of elements which will be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings: I Figure 1 isaside elevation of a portion of ,30 atmachine embodying theinvention, one of thebuckets and the corresponding cleaning mmber being shown in section.

Figure 2 isasection taken on the "line 2-2 of Figure 1. g Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner inwhich each bucket is mounted. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a yportion of one of the endless carriers which support the buckets.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on theline5-5 of Figure.

Figure 6 s a front elevation of one of the rooters which are used ,in conjunction with the buckets.

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention is embodied in atrenching machine having a rearwardly and upwardly inclined beam .orframework 7 which supports transverse shaft 8 atitsupper end. This shaft is 5f adapted tofbe rotated bya-nysuit'able means A conveyer chain 14 passes over each wheel of cleaner links 15 which alternalte with pairs of connectinglinks 16, Each pair offconnecting links 16 are secured together with bolts 17 or the like and are provided at each end with spaced ears 18 traversed by a pin 19;.to which the adjacent link 15 is connected. Each pin 19 is adapted to rock in the ears 18 and has an enlarged central portion .20 which receives theend ofthe link 15 and pin from slipping out 9. Each of these chains is made up of aseries which preventsthe through the ears 18;

Each of the links 15 is formed with an extension 2l to which the side of a bucket 22 may be secured, and a shoulder 23, formed on the link, is adapted to seat in a correspon ding recess 24 formed in therear edge of thebucket. Each bucket is formed with a curved bottom 25 with, digging teeth 26 suitably secured thereto and projecting forwardlytherefrom. Each side of thebucket is formed near its upper end with a bearing 27 adapted to receive a pivot pin or bolt 28 on which a cleaning blade 29 is pivotally'supported, and as the blade swings about its pi ot, its lower edge follows the arcuate surface of the bottom 25. The rear face of theblade 29 is formedwith lugs or ears 30 in which a roller 31 is mounted. As the bucket travels with the carrier chain 14in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the roller 31 is adapted to ride along a track 32 secured to the upper end of the framework 7. i The track 32'is so formed that the blade 29 at first moves rather slowly across the bottom of the bucket until the roller reaches themore sharply curved raised portion 33 of the track. Since the buckets travel quite rapidly, as theroller 81 reaches the raised portion 33, the blade is'flipped outwardly rather quickly against the stops 34: which overhang the sides of the bucket.

When the blade strikes the stops it rebounds until it is suddenly stopped as the roller again engages a lower part of the track. The track 32 is preferably formed with several of these raised portions 33 alternating with downwardly curved portions so that the cleaning blade 29 is rapidly flipped back and forth several times between the stops and the lowerportions of the track, imparting to the blade a series of blows which tend to dislodge any material which might otherwise be left sticking to the blade. The blade, as well as the bucket, is therefore left comparatively clean as the bucket approaches the uppermost part of its path.

In connection with the series of digging buckets, it is also customary to interpose a number of rooter members 35, each of which may be attached at each side of one of the links 15 in the same manner as the digging buckets are attached. As shown in Figure '6,

the rooter element 35 is connected at each end to a link 15 bymeans of a' connecting member 36, which-is'provided with seats 37 and 38 disposed at different angles and having rooter teeth 39 and 40 respectively secured thereto. Each of the teeth 39 and i0 rovides clearance for the other and together they cut the corners of the trench so that material between them may be easily removed by the teeth 26 of the digging buckets.

In the operation of" the invention as applied to a trenching machine, the rooter elements 39 and 40- cut the sides of the trench in advance of the digging operation effected by the buckets with their forwardly pro ecting teeth 26. The angles at which the teeth 39 and 40 aredisposed and the manner in V 'which they are mounted greatly facilitate the digging operation. The operation of the cleaning blades in the manner described results in thoroughly cleaning the blades as well as the buckets, each time they pass dumping position, so that the trenching mach ne may be operated under all (.OlldlblOllS with the utmost eificiency. r

While I have shown and described n detail what appears at present to be the-most desirable embodiment of the invention, t is apparent that various modifications may be made therein without departing materially from the scope thereof as claimed.

\VhatIclaim is: p

1. In a machine of the class described, a series of buckets, means for causing said buckets to travel in an orbit, a cleaning blade associated with each bucket, and means for quickly flipping each blade several times back and forth across the bottom of the bucket toward the end of each upward flight thereof and stopping the blade with a jar at the end of each movement in either direction.

2. The combination with a series of travelling buckets,

of a cleaning blade carried by each bucket, a track adjacent the path of the 'gageable with buckets, and means on each cleaning blade engageable with the track, said track including a succession of raised portions to cause each blade to move several times across the respective bucket as it travels thereover.

3. The combination with a series of travelling buckets, of a cleaning blade carried by each bucket, a track adjacent the path of the buckets,means on each cleaning bladeensaid track, said track having sharp undulations to cause the blades to move quickly across the bucket during its travel, and stops connected with each bucket in the path of tlicblade,'against which the blade is suddenly stopped and caused to rebound.

a. The combination with a series of travelling buckets, of a cleaning blade for each bucket movable across the same, a stop limiting the outward movement'of the blade, a track, and means on each cleaning blade engageable with the track, said track having a gradually inclined portion for moving the blade slowly across the'bucket, followed by sharp undulations'for subsequently flipping the blade quickly across said bottom causing it to rebound. v

5. In a machine of the class described, a bucket, a cleaning blade pivotally mounted on the bucket and normally constituting a back therefor, a stop limiting the forward movement of theblade, means for moving the bucket upwardly, a track, and a roller'carried by the blade for engaging the track, said track having undulatory portions operable to move the blade across the bottom of the bucket as the bucket'approaches its uppermost position. 1

6. In a machine of the class described, a

bucket, a cleaning blade pivotally mounted on the bucket and normally constituting a back therefor, means for moving the bucket upwardly, a track, means on the blade for engaging the track, said track having sharp undulations to cause the blade to move quickly across the bottom of the bucket as the bucket approaches its uppermost position, and a stop connected with the bucket and in the path of the blade, against which theblade is suddenly stopped and, caused to rebound.

7 In a machine of the class described, a

the blade and causing it to rebound.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES L. GEORGE. 

